Introduction

“Farmscaping” is a whole-farm, ecological approach to pest management. It can be defined as the use of hedgerows, insectary plants, cover crops, and water reservoirs to attract and support populations of beneficial organisms such as insects, bats, and birds of prey.

In some respects, beneficial organisms should be considered—and managed as—mini-livestock. The larger varieties of livestock are healthier and reproduce more readily when provided an adequate and nutritious diet. Likewise, “mini-livestock” require adequate supplies of nectar, pollen, and herbivorous insects and mites as food to sustain and increase their populations. The best source of these foods is flowering plants. Flowering plants are particularly important to adults of the wasp and fly families, which require nectar and pollen sources in order to reproduce the immature larval stages that parasitize or prey on insect pests.

However, using a random selection of flowering plants to increase the biodiversity of a farm may favor pest populations over beneficial organisms. It is important to identify those plants, planting situations, and management practices that best support populations of beneficial organisms.

Farmscaping, like other components of sustainable agriculture, requires more knowledge and management skill on the part of the grower than conventional pest management. The investment in knowledge and management may yield such benefits as:

• A reduction in pesticide use
• Savings in pesticide costs
• Reduced risk of chemical residues on farm products
• A safer farm environment and more on-farm wildlife.

However, farmscaping is not a magical cure for pest problems. It is simply an ecological approach to pest management that can be an integral component of a biointensive integrated pest management (IPM) program.

The use of farmscaping to increase beneficial organism habitat must be understood and practiced within the context of overall farm management goals. For example, when considering planting a perennial hedgerow the producer should evaluate the various costs and benefits likely to be associated with a hedgerow. Growers with farmscaping experience will likely be the best source for this kind of information.